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implanting calves on cows

B

buckranch1

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Joined
Jan 21, 2008
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8
Location
sw nd
I was wondering how many of you guys implant your calves and what you see for weight increases. I was also wondering what kind of response you get from your buyers and what affect, if any that the implanting has on your bid? thanks
 
I would lose my niche market if I implanted and that would cost me 20 cents pound plus. Check with your intended buyers to see how they feel about implanted calves. Will the pounds gain offset the cost of drugs and time to implant and possible lost market?
 
i agree with PATB, if you have a buyer or think you may, the safe way to go is to check with them. i don't know of anyone around here that implants anymore. i think you will take a hit at a salebarn if you implant. but is the extra gain on the calves worth more in terms of dollars/lb? i don't think so, but i could be wrong :?

Soapweed could probably give you some pointers.
 
My wife's uncle implanted his calves this year, and I can't see where they were worth the effort to put them in.

Genetics are so much better today that I think you see just as much gain by using better genetics. Implants, or genetics in a pellet, only work for the feedlots in my mind. Why spend the extra buck if they aren't going to give it back to you when they buy them.
 
We implanted are calves the last few years . we run are calves through the green tag program . we don't take no dock at the sale barn are spring born calves sold last fall got implant before we turned to grass and one two weaks before weaning avg 30 heavier at weaning than the previous year don't know if it was due to implants or lots of grass with all of are rain this summer. Some fall calves we sold last spring to a neighbor had been implanted when he harvested the calves they had been converting right 4 to 1. still again don't know if it was implant or genetics they were half hereford. good luck
 
We've implanted and we've also just left them as uncut and banded the bulls to steers in the fall.

My opinion of implanting simply is I don't want my family taking the chance of ingesting more growth stimulating or other crap that we as producers can inject into the calves we raise that one day becomes the beef on their plate. After all we eat what we produce (at least 1/2 a critter). JMHO

Our experiences with implanting led to a nice weaning weight however they were not as heavy as when they were banded in the fall. Banding in the fall leads to another trip down the chute and another job to complete. It also leaves one lacking calf fries to fry up after that spring branding. However, when we used to band in the fall those were heavy calves come shipping day.
 
I think it is just another tool you can use for increased weight gain, but do think it needs to fit your program, We all know that nothing can replace good genetics, but I think we all can do things that will enhance those genetics. We have implanted our steers for years, for us we get the best weight gain with calves that are at least 6 weeks old at implanting, and it is very marginable if they are under 4 weeks old when implanted the first time. Where we really see the weight gain is doing the implanting again at 10 to 11 weeks later, and if we background the calves we do again in about 10 weeks. We see an increase in weight by as much 60# - 75# when wintering, has to be done correctly and very cleanly if not don't bother with it. With the price of 3 implants and $98, for 850# calves you do the math. This is just my opinion, is worth just what you are paying for it. 101
 
We used to implant the steer calves (we implanted the heifers at one time, long ago, but stopped that) but we did not implant in '09.
The buyers in our area like the calves better that are not implanted because the feeder can implant and get that growth burst.
Interesting, the calves were 65 lbs heavier than in '08. Of course,
it was very dry in '08 and '09 was wetter and cooler. :?
 
Implant or not implant is a marketing decision based on your area markets. Check with your buyer as what they prefer and then do the math to see which makes you the most money. If I implanted my cattle I would lose my 2 main buyers and most likely take a 20 to 30 cents per pound drop in price based on past market conditions at local auction. This is strictly a local condition and your area is most likely different.
 
I don't see how anyone could tell whetheror not it pays unless they were to do half and leave half and see which half brings back the most dollars at the same sale.

Has anyone done this??



I'm outta here the game just started!


GO CANADA GO!
 
If you need to worry about implanting your calves to get a heavier weaning weight.Then it's time to replace the cows,they should be putting the extra weight on for you.
 
buckranch1 said:
I was wondering how many of you guys implant your calves and what you see for weight increases. I was also wondering what kind of response you get from your buyers and what affect, if any that the implanting has on your bid? thanks
Click to expand...

We have set it up to get paid for not implanting, but for you to be sure you are getting your money's worth out of the time , labor, and $ spent, the half and half comparison seems like a good way to find out. Do your own research so to speak.
 
We do a ralgro on the steers. If the buyers want them all natural they best start paying for them. Around here they talk the talk all natural but that ends when the bidding begins. I use CTC in my mineral so that leaves mine out so I just as well implant. They must work otherwise the feedlots would'nt be putting them in. I have a friend who works at feedlots in Nebraska those cattle all get implants. The increased gain and feed conversion must outweigh the little bit the all natural programs pay.I'm going to take advantage of any opportunity to make my calves press heavy on the scales.My bills need to be paid first if I go broke what do I care if the feedlot's want the fast gain. They already have us jumping thru hoops like a circus animal.

I tried to get a contract on some all natural calves a couple years ago the buyer for Swift said that program is maxed out and they are'nt paying any more for them than commodity beef.
 
Canada Gold will pay $30/head and $500. for your vet work for CFIA certified artificial hormone free calves over and above the market price.
 
per said:
Canada Gold will pay $30/head and $500. for your vet work for CFIA certified artificial hormone free calves over and above the market price.
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Is the $30 used up in additional feed cost's to get a less effeicent animal finished. A $30 premium sounds good but if it cost you $40 extra in feed and 2 weeks longer in the feedlot there is no premium more a loss of revenue both in money and your time also.
 
That math is individual for everyone. I am a grass outfit that doesn't use implants anyway so it is a substantial premium just as our grass finished implant free freezer trade is. If you are implanting then it is not for you. The extra finishing cost belongs to Canada Gold as they buy them and finish them. Their end market obviously pays more for this product in the box.
 
Per, I'm interested in CG paying the $500 vet cost - is that per year or on a once only basis? I guess I was kind of their guinea pig on that one - paid about $600 to my vet to get a bunch of 40 calves certified only to find nobody was interested in bidding on that small a number :( Still I've got a much better vet now so it was probably $600 well spent :D
 
Big Swede said:
Denny you could use that same logic in the winter calving vs. summer calving argument couldn't you? :wink:
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Yeah than you could use that extra feed you saved on those winter calved vs summer calved cows to feed those small summer calves thru the following winter. :wink: Thers no free lunch in this business.
 

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